The Vikings went from down 12 points to up 17 in the blink of an eye during Sunday’s stunning 39-22 comeback win over the Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Every week, we’re going to hand out ratings on a 1-10 scale to notable Vikings players, coaches, and units. These are obviously subjective and done without having reviewed the game tape. Here are this week’s ratings.
Carson Wentz: 7.1
Wentz had to step in when Kyler Murray suffered a concussion that knocked him out of the game on just his 11th play. The veteran backup was pretty shaky early on but finished 12/19 for 133 yards and 3 touchdowns. His first two TD throws, to Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson, were high-level. He also missed an open Jordan Addison a couple times and was lucky to have an end-zone interception wiped out by a penalty in a critical moment. Wentz persevered through some struggles and did well, given the circumstances.
Justin Jefferson: 9.4
Jefferson is just a spectacular football player. This was another reminder of that. He caught eight of his nine targets for 92 yards and 2 TDs, plus a two-point conversion. He made an incredible in-air adjustment on the first touchdown and was able to hold onto the ball and extend it past the pylon while laying out for a full-extension dive on the second. It was another incredible performance from the Vikings’ superstar.
Kevin O’Connell: 7.5
The Vikings managed just a field goal on their first five possessions. O’Connell’s offense looked like a mess early on, both with Murray and Wentz in at quarterback. But give O’Connell credit for his role in adjusting and helping Wentz find success. A win over the Packers is a win over the Packers, no matter how it happened. He also won an early challenge and stuck with the running game despite minimal early returns.
Brian Flores: 8.1
As with several of the ratings from this game, Flores would’ve gotten a much lower score if we had been judging midway through the third quarter. His defense was gashed for 419 yards. Jordan Love threw for 387 and two touchdowns. Receivers were wide open on several occasions. But Flores stuck to his guns and continued to send blitz after blitz after blitz. Eventually, it paid off with four sacks and two takeaways down the stretch. Once the Vikings took the lead, the pass rush became an avalanche.
Dallas Turner: 9.1
Turner was a star in this game. He lived in the backfield, finishing with a strip-sack and a whopping seven quarterback hits. Early on, he couldn’t quite get to Love on a few big plays for the Packers. Eventually, his pressures turned into results. Turner appears poised for a big year three breakout. His speed off the edge is remarkable.
Andrew Van Ginkel: 8.4
Van Ginkel was somewhat quiet for much of the game — and then exploded down the stretch. Blake Cashman got to Love first on the Vikings’ first takeaway, but it was Van Ginkel who ripped the ball out of the quarterback’s hands and recovered it. He came a yard away from another defensive touchdown, initially unaware that he wasn’t down by contact. Van Ginkel added another sack in the final minutes, giving him 1.5 on the day.
Offensive line: 4.9
It was not a great day for the Vikings’ O-line. It began on Murray’s very first pass attempt, which turned into an interception after Will Fries appeared to miss his blocking assignment. Fries, in particular, had a rough game. Brian O’Neill and Blake Brandel committed back-to-back false starts in the first quarter. Wentz was sacked three times — and that number could’ve been higher. Christian Darrisaw and Donovan Jackson appeared to have the best days of the linemen. The OL was good enough when it mattered most.
Defensive backs: 5.4
The Vikings’ DBs had a forgettable game, as well. Theo Jackson whiffed on Christian Watson’s 81-yard touchdown. Josh Metellus took a bad angle on a 42-yard Matthew Golden gain. Isaiah Rodgers dropped a pick. Byron Murphy Jr. didn’t get his head around on a 32-yard catch by Watson that would’ve been pass interference anyways. Packers receivers were wide open in voids of space on a concerning number of plays. Salvaging the day for this group was James Pierre’s interception off a Harrison Smith deflection.
Running game: 6.0
We’ve heard all offseason about the Vikings’ focus on their revamped run game. It wasn’t great in Week 1, but they stuck with it and eventually did get some results. Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones combined for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns on 27 carries. That’s just 3.7 yards per carry, including a 28-yard scamper from Mason. The two touchdowns down near the goal line were big.
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This story was originally published by Bring Me The Sports on Sep 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN Vikings section. Add Bring Me The Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
